Managing Cultural Diversity in the Workplace: Importance and Strategies

Unit 11

Executive summary
Equality and Diversity is the crucial aspect of organisation and it is very necessary to
maintain these within workplace. The project intents to evaluate the significance of Managing
Cultural Diversity in workplace to ensure better growth and expansion. The use of quantitative
method is made for current study which ensures a more measurable and accurate results for
accomplishment of research objectives. Apart from this, it has been also evaluated through
current study that participative form of management ensures a fair decision making and effective
strategies through proper involvement of all employees for ensuring better supervision of cultural
multiplicity.

Table of Contents
Chosen Research Topic: Managing cultural diversity in the workplace. A case study on
Sainsbury plc....................................................................................................................................1
Chapter One: Introduction and rationale..........................................................................................1
1.1. Introduction to research background...............................................................................1
1.2. Research aim and objectives...........................................................................................1
1.3. Rationale for the study.....................................................................................................1
1.4. Research questions..........................................................................................................2
1.5. Significance.....................................................................................................................2
Chapter Two: Literature Review.....................................................................................................2
2.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................2
2.2 The equality and diversity concept...................................................................................2
2.3 Significance of Management of Cultural Diversity.........................................................3
2.4 Different ways to effective management of diversity......................................................3
2.5 Summary...........................................................................................................................4
Chapter Three: Research Methodology...........................................................................................4
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
Chapter Four: Data Analysis and Findings......................................................................................7
4.1. Analysis of Data..............................................................................................................7
Analysis of data......................................................................................................................9
4.2. Interpretation of research findings.................................................................................10
Chapter Five: Research Outcomes.................................................................................................18
Covered in PPT.....................................................................................................................18
Chapter Six: Conclusion and Recommendations...........................................................................18
6.1. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................18
6.2. Recommendation...........................................................................................................19
Chapter Seven: Reflection.............................................................................................................19
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................21
Appendix........................................................................................................................................22
Research Proposal Form................................................................................................................22

Research Ethics approval form......................................................................................................30

Chosen Research Topic: Managing cultural diversity in the workplace. A case
study on Sainsbury plc
Chapter One: Introduction and rationale
1.1. Introduction to research background
Management of cultural diversity is a viable concept as it brings enhanced teamwork and
ensures right and fair behaviour at workplace which leads to a more creative and motivated
workforce. Management of cultural diversity leads to presence of diversified employees at
workplace which enhance skills of workforce but at the same time many issues and challenges
like communication barriers and conflicts are also lead by this (Ravazzani, 2016). Thus, the
current investigation is lead out on Sainsbury plc which is considered as the second largest
supermarkets chain of the United Kingdom to evaluate about the need and importance of
Managing Cultural Diversity in the workplace.
1.2. Research aim and objectives
Research Aim
“To evaluate about the importance of Managing Cultural Diversity in the workplace to
ensure better growth and expansion”. A research work on Sainsbury plc.
Objectives of research
 To have deep insight in the concept of equality and diversity.
 To evaluate about the importance of Managing Cultural Diversity in the workplace to
ensure better growth and expansion of Sainsbury plc.
 To examine the various ways and steps that could be adopted Sainsbury to ensure
effective management of cultural diversity to have better growth and expansion.
1.3. Rationale for the study
The assortment of current study topic is seemed rationale is it ensures and leads to better
evaluation of the importance of Managing Cultural Diversity in the workplace which is vital
from professional perception of the associated investigator in order to ensure enhanced growth
and expansion of a company (Schouten, Khattab and Pahng, 2020). Beside this, current topic is
also viable from personal interest of researcher along with leading enhanced managerial skills
and better competencies to meet academic and education perspective of investigator.
1

1.4. Research questions
 What insight and perceptive are you having about the concept of equality and diversity?
 What important implication is lead by Managing Cultural Diversity in the workplace to
ensure better growth and expansion of Sainsbury plc?
 What are the ways and steps that could be adopted Sainsbury to ensure effective
management of cultural diversity to have better growth and expansion?
1.5. Significance
The current research work is significant as it facilitates enhanced information about the vital
concept of managing cultural diversity along with its needs and importance. Further, a better
evaluation about the strategies and ways to lead better administration of cultural diversity to have
better growth and expansion is also lead by current investigation that is significant and vital for a
company or other scholars (Gottardello, 2019).
Chapter Two: Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
Literature review is a process of systematically review scholarly sources associated with
particular topic. Different articles, journals, books, etc. are reviewed so that viewpoints of
different authors are compared and gaps in literature can be analysed. This literature review is
performed on the topic “To assess about the significance of Management of Cultural Diversity in
workplace to make sure better growth and expansion”. The views of authors are compered on
different themes related to the topic (Butcher, 2016).
2.2 The equality and diversity concept
As per the view point of Foster, S., 2019, Equality is all about rendering equal
opportunities for growth and development to all people working in the organisation regardless
their caste, creed, culture, religion, age, gender, nationality, sexual orientation etc. Diversity is
about considering the differences between individuals and placing positive value on those.
Equality and diversity are about respecting employees for their individual cultural background,
gender, age, race, skills, career experience, beliefs and many more. Maintaining equality and
diversity is significant for an organisation so as to achieve development and success in the
marketplace and acquire competitive advantage simultaneously (Equality & diversity in the
workplace).
2

According to opinion of Roberson, (2019), Hiring people with diverse backgrounds
broadens the range of thinking occurs in workplace. This will help in promoting creativity and
innovation in the organisation and also provides the opportunity to employees to learn from one
another and grow themselves. Apart from this, equality and diversity strongly related with
promoting rights and freedoms of human based on principles like dignity and respect. Diversity
is related to recognising as well as valuing the distinct backgrounds of people and their
experiences, knowledge and skills and utilised those to develop productive workforce (Mateescu,
2017). Equality and diversity provides numerous benefit to organisation like increased
productivity, improved profits, competitive advantage, fosters innovation and creativity etc.
2.3 Significance of Management of Cultural Diversity
According to the views of Princewill Akuma, 2018, Culture diversity is the product of
traditions, practices, beliefs or values of employees based on ethnicity, gender, religion, age, race
etc. When the more diverse people work together in the organisation, it develops an effective
culture in workplace. Developing cultural competence outcomes in the polity to effectively
interact, understand and communicate with individuals across cultures as well as work with
varying schedules and cultural beliefs. Management of cultural diversity in workplace a
significant as it helps in banking innovation in the organisation and improving its productivity
and performance. It also helps in developing healthy culture in workplace which in turn result in
improving performance of employees. It assists in maximizing the bottom line and in staying on
correct side of law (Cultural Diversity: Why is it Imperative in Workplace?, 2018). It helps
organisation in reaping several benefits in terms of competitive advantage, leadership,
developing a culture of dignity and respect, wide range of skills, reduced turnover, enhance
employee engagement etc. Cultural diversity in organisation reflects positively on the brand
image of company as diverse collection of competencies and skills enable company to render
effective services to customers globally which helps it is developing good reputation. This also
provided better growth and expansion opportunity to firm.
2.4 Different ways to effective management of diversity
As per the view point of Kimberlee Leonard, 2019, there are some ways by which a
company can maintain cultural diversity in workplace order to have better expansion and growth
opportunities. Some of the ways that can be adopted by Sainsbury's in order to make sure
effective cultural diversity management in workplace are mentioned below:
3

 Providing training to employees: it is necessary for the organisation to provide training
to its workforce on cultural awareness as this help employee in understanding each other
effectively and maintain effective working relationships. It also helps in make the
employees understand the significance of having culturally diverse workplace for the
organisation (5 Strategies for Dealing With Diversity in the Workplace, 2019).
 Develop appropriate hiring strategies: it is an another strategy that helps company in
managing diverse workplace. The company needs to ensure that individuals with diverse
skills and cultural backgrounds will be hire within the company so that wider pool of
skills can be maintained and the organisation can gain competitive advantage in market.
Hiring employees with diverse cultural backgrounds will also help company to expand
easily in other markets and grow its business.
2.5 Summary
It is summarized from the above discussion that an organisation needs to maintain equality
and diversity in order to get benefits of improving productivity, competitive advantage etc.
Maintaining cultural diversity is imperative for company as it assist in developing wide pool of
skills that provides growth opportunity to organisation (Mateescu, 2017). With the help of
strategies like providing training to workforce and developing effective hiring strategy will assist
in managing cultural diversity.
Chapter Three: Research Methodology
INTRODUCTION
Research methodology is understood as the process which consist of several rules and
regulations as it provides assistance to researcher to select the most fitting source of data and
then conduct data analysis with the help of sampling (af Wåhlberg, 2017).
Research Philosophy: There are several methods of research philosophies such as
positivism, realism, interpretivism and pragmatism as this provide several beliefs on the basis of
which information is gathered. While conducting this research, positivism is considered as most
appropriate as it help in gaining an insight solution of practical problems. This method is a
scientific method which is not influenced in accordance of attitude and behaviour of researcher.
4